Critérium du Dauphiné stage 6: The Alpine stages begin

on Friday the Critérium du Dauphiné’s sixth stage begins, and it’s a doozy. Heading from Nantua to Crest-Voland and 170.5 km, it has some very tough climbs which will provide some interesting moments for race leader Jonas Vingegaard.

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At 152 km they hit the Col de Aravis, a Category 2 climb, before finishing on the Category 3 climb, the Crest Voland.

Vingegaard has a decent lead over AG2R-Citröen’s Ben O’Connor with the plucky frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) just behind at 1:23. There may be an early breakaway that tries to get some TV time, allowing Jumbo-Visma to control it before the decisive climbs toward the end. Vingegaard will undoubtedly be marking his rivals as they ascend, but there will most likely be some fireworks once the roads get lumpy.